Fighting Fate
by Zeromus00
Summary: When Gil, a Guardian from the City, rescues a Fallen Vandal from death, it starts a chain of events that will question the very foundations of the battle between light and dark. Fallen x Guardian, M x M, Rated M for future chapters, which includes blood and sex.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Rebirth

It was about 6:45 in the morning when light returned to the Cosmodrome. The light seeped in, dispersing the darkness from every nook and corner it hid. Along the edge of a river near the Forgotten Shore, a figure stood up and inspected the newly illuminated surroundings. The Guardian shifted a bit with unease, but then relaxed. The light always seemed to make things better. He bent down and slowly picked up the blades he was cleaning in the river, each showing a deadly glint in the light. Collecting himself and his things quickly, the Guardian slowly walked towards the towering figures in the Shore. The ships were rusted down and eroded, time easily breaking down the structures man had so painstakingly built. The Guardian stopped near one, and placed his hand on the base of the ship. How…. ironic, he thought. How man's Golden Age was now being broken down and eroded back to rust. Before he could continue the thought, a gust of wind rushed above his head. The Guardian jumped back, and faced towards the ship to face two Fallen Vandals that had swooped off the hull. Each possessed two blades, ready to dig into his flesh. Upon closer inspection, the Vandal's cloaks possessed the sigil of the House of Devils. Great. The Devils were after him. His take down of a High Servitor was bound to make him a target, but so quickly? Must have been an important Servitor. The Vandals rushed him, shouts rattling out of their throats. He evaded all swipes with ease, but was able to discern that these Fallen wanted him desperately. Using the back of his hand cannon, he hit the heads of both Vandals with precision. They both instantly crumbled, unconscious. The thought of administrating a finishing blow did not even cross his mind. Rumors of friendly Fallen within the Queen's Reef has caused him to believe that all Fallen could be befriended, an opinion that was received with much fire from other Guardians. After all, a Hunter, a master assassin, now refusing to kill the enemies of the darkness, and now believing that they could receive the salvation of the light? Seemed kind of ridiculous, questionable. Nonetheless, the Guardian left the two Vandals and continued on his way. His only purpose for staying so long was to simply see the sunrise. After all, the rebirth of the sun's light returning to a destroyed land seemed like a good omen. Perhaps the light would heal this land, like it has healed and protected the City for so long.

The Guardian spoke, as if to nothing. "Ghost."

"Here." The Guardian's Ghost came into being, floating along his partner's head. "Ah, is the sunrise over already? Can't see why you enjoy such things in the wilderness instead of the City, Gil."

Gil shifted a bit, and slowly nudged the Ghost with his hand. "I'm a Hunter. Of course I enjoy the outdoors more than the City. Let's argue in orbit."

Not a second later, both the Guardian and the Ghost disappeared, in which they boarded a jump ship waiting for them in Orbit. Back at the Forgotten Shore, the two Vandals had gained conscious and slowly stood up. They growled at each other, in which both Fallen began to look down at the ground. Their failure in killing the murderer of Sepiks-7 was an assured death. One of the Vandals walked towards a river, experiencing the water one least time before returning back to the Devil's Lair. He would miss the water, something that isn't as abundant within the inner Cosmodrome. He began to leave when he spotted it. It was two things, both shining in the ground. It was a blade, and a small, circular object. The Vandal picked it up, and realized what it was. It was a City comm device, something that was given to all Guardians venturing beyond the City. Thoughts of giving the device to his Captain came and left quickly. No. The Vandal would do it alone. He picked up the Guardian's forgotten blade, the light shining off and illuminating a cross shaped scar over the Vandal's right eye. He would have the pleasure of plunging the blade into the Guardian's chest, not his Captain. The Vandal stalked off, in a direction away from the Devil's Lair. There was much to do.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Fateful Encounter

Within the quiet chasms of space, an Arcadia class jumpship was rushing towards Old Russia. If anybody was able to pay attention in space, they would have noted that this ship was rushing towards the City only moments before. Within the ship, Gil was chatting with his Ghost, making small talk while dealing with their problem. Gil had arrived at the City only to be denied access to land. He had lost his comm device, which allowed him to materialize within the Tower's plaza. He would either have to find his old one, or buy a new one at the checkpoint before the Tower.

"Still… a new comm device for 50,000 Glimmer? Who even has that much in the Tower?" Gil spoke, sitting next to the Ghost who was controlling the jumpship.

"Well that doesn't matter. I'm locking on to the signal of your comm device. I've boosted its signal to lock on to its location…" The Ghost stopped abruptly, and turned to face Gil. "Bad luck. It's already been collected by the Fallen. Its signal is far away from the river. I'm reading the signal transmitting from the Skywatch."

Gil sighed at first, but that was cut short. "Wait, so the comm device isn't at the Devil's Lair or King's Watch?" This was an unforeseen benefit. He had expected to have to fight into either of those Fallen hideouts, which would be highly difficult for him by himself. He had killed his Servitor target outside of the Devil's Lair, but couldn't imagine going deeper inside.

"We're breaking orbit." The Ghost brought the jumpship from orbit, and approached the ground within the Mothyards, directly outside of the Skywatch. The Ghost materialized Gil outside of the ship, and returned the ship to orbit. Gil looked around, and stretched his legs. It was now the middle of the day, and the light had greatly changed the surroundings. He could see some Fallen hanging around the rust-eaten planes, fighting their endless battle against some of the Hive.

"Let's go. Ghost, track the signal and display it within my helmet." Having its position, Gil set off inside the Skywatch. The place had once been a huge area of scientific breakthroughs, a place where the Golden Age flourished, according to Old Russian records. The records also recorded that it was here the people on Earth discovered the existence of the Fallen and then the Hive, detecting their signals with the arrays located here. The center of the Golden Age became the center of a scared populace. The bones on the floor and the scratches on the wall proved that the Fallen had made their way in. Gil followed the cursor within his helmet, and was making his way towards the comm's location. It was near now.

Within the shadows, a Fallen Vandal was waiting in ambush. He sensed the light before he even had to see the Guardian and his Ghost. He couldn't describe the feeling, though he had no need to as he only conversed with other Fallen. It was just an ability to sense malice, and that malice usually took the form of the light, and the Guardians who would kill him in a second. Thinking such thoughts made his cross shaped scar ache. The Vandal traced it with his finger, and remembered how he received the scar. The day his brethren staged an attack on a sole Guardian. The day his brethren were killed in a swirl of blood and fire. He had escaped with his life, but he soon discovered he was the only one to survive. It was that day he made a promise, in the ways of the Fallen. He would abandon his name until he was able to reclaim his lost honor. The Vandal pulled out the Guardian's blade. When he killed this Guardian, he would tell him the one thing he had lost long before. The one thing that he abandoned. His name was Rysick. A presence had arrived in the room. He was here. Rysick got ready to attack. He would have his vengeance.

Gil had made his way into the room. There was a huge opening in the ceiling, which allowed for fresh air and light to filter into the desecrated room. He had barely took a step when it was upon him. A Vandal had jumped from an opening in the room, directly in front of him. His Ghost immediately materialized out of existence, and Gil pulled out of his throwing blades. He noticed three things about this Vandal in front of him. One was his sigil of the House of Devils. The second was the familiar cross shaped scar over one of his eyes. The third was the weapon he was using, which he recognized as one of his own blades. The Vandal rushed him again, seeking to drive the blade into Gil's chest. Gil parried the attack, and flung himself out of the way. This Vandal was experienced, and eager to see his blood. Before Gil could do anything again, there was a blast of Arc electricity. Bolts from shock pistols had been fired into the room, causing Gil to jump back. Within the room's opening was a Fallen Captain, and two Dregs bearing shock pistols. Damn! The Vandal had reinforcements. Gil looked at the Vandal within the room, and noticed that the Vandal was using two of his arms to put pressure on his side. The Dregs had shot him as well.

"Ghost, how did they find us?" Gil inquired, pulling his hand cannon out of its holster.

"That was my fault. When I boosted the signal, the other Fallen must have detected it as well."

Gil breathed heavy. The Captain and the Dregs would be a challenge, but he couldn't leave this Vandal alone. Even though he was shot at, there was no way of knowing what he was thinking. Gil was stuck in a standstill. There was nothing to do but wait for either one of these Fallen to make a move.

Rysick was injured heavily. His blood was seeping out of the wound, in which the skin around the wound was burnt from the Arc energy. His Captain was right in front of him, and he could imagine as to why he was there. The signal from the com device could have been detected from other Fallen, and allowed for an easy ambush. As for the wound, Rysick knew the reasoning behind that as well. For failing to kill this pesky Guardian, for not bringing in the comm device, for not accepting his death. Rysick knew what he had to do. He was already branded a traitor, dead to his previous comrades. He would live. He wouldn't die here. Rysick breathed heavily, and got ready to defy the rule he had always known.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Shaky Alliances

Gil barely had a moment to breathe when a blade flew past his head. The blade pierced the chest of the Fallen Captain, causing a blood chilling roar to erupt from its mouth. Gil turned to face behind him. The Vandal had two of its arms squeezing his wound, its other arms flexed out. He had been the one that threw the blade.

"Alright! Let's do this!" Gil told the Vandal, understanding that the Fallen probably had no idea what he was saying. Gil immediately shot a bullet into the head of a Dreg, causing it to explode in a puff of air and steam. Despite his usual aversion to killing Fallen, he had no such luxury this time around. It was either them or him. Air rushed by him as the Vandal went straight to the Captain, two of his shock blades in his two free hands. The other Dreg had ran further away, and continuously sprayed the battle scene with bolts from its shock pistol. The Captain had an Arc shield, which gave the Dreg no fears of wounding its superior. Gil shot a bullet from his hand cannon, which immediately connected with the Dregs chest. It crumpled down, releasing the shock pistol. A primal roar sounded across the room. The Vandal was on the ground, a slash wound on its chest. Both of the Vandal's shock blades were in the Captain, causing a great deal of blood to spurt out. The Captain staggered, but raised its blade. It was going to take the Vandal with him to the afterlife.

Rysick was injured heavily. There was a heavy amount of blood seeping from his wounds, spreading down his chest and into the soil beneath his body. The Captain raised his blade, directly above Rysick's head. This was it. Despite his current predicament, Rysick had no regrets. He hadn't simply allowed himself to lay down and die. He fought back with all his strength, and proved what he was capable of in these last few moments of his life. Rysick was able to sense the Guardian and the other Dreg behind him. He wondered if the Guardian would be okay. Heh. Of course he would be. It was just a lowly Dreg, a being he himself could dispatch with ease. Rysick stopped his thoughts immediately. He had just shown concern for a Guardian. At any other point in his life, Rysick would have thought himself insane for sharing sympathy towards Guardians, the ones responsible for the deaths of many of his comrades. However, he himself had just shoved his own blades inside his Captain. Rysick brought his attention towards the Captain in front of him. The blade was coming down. Rysick's sight was immediately engulfed in the color red. Rysick closed his eyes. This was it. He was dead.

"Hey! Giving up already? I thought Fallen were tougher than that!" Rysick's eyes flew open. The Guardian was in front of him, pushing the Captain's blade with one of his own. Rysick realized that the red was actually the Guardian's cloak, which was now splayed across him. The Captain let out a feral roar, and lifted his blade again to bring it back down. It was over in a second. Two bullets were shot into the Captain's face. The Captain's head exploded like the Dregs, releasing the air and steam that was circulating in the Captain's respirator. The Guardian replaced his blade slowly, and began to reload his hand cannon. Rysick moved his arms, and began to feel for a weapon. He had no idea what this Guardian would do next. Even to Rysick, dispatching a weak Fallen seemed like the probable choice. Before he could find a weapon, Rysick's eyesight became blurry. He realized that he had stopped putting pressure on his wounds, allowing for more blood to seep out. He was losing consciousness. Rysick let out a short warning growl, but it was too late. He blacked out.

Gil heard a low growl coming from the Vandal on the floor. He quickly turned to face him, but realized that the Vandal was not moving. He had lost consciousness. Shit. Gil got on his knees, and inspected the Vandal's wounds. There was a huge slash across his chest, and a bolt wound on his side. Gil tore off a piece of his cloak, and began to fasten it around the Vandal's waist. His top priority was to stop the bleeding. Detecting the low amount of hostiles, the Ghost materialized into existence.

"What are you doing?" The Ghost inquired, digesting the scene taking place through his glowing blue eye. "Are you performing first aid… on a Fallen?" Before the Ghost could question more, the connected radar between the Ghost and Gil's helmet began showing blips of red. "We have a problem. Huge amounts of hostilities incoming. There are Fallen enemies heading towards the Skywatch, and they are waking the Hive nesting within." Gil looked upwards, and began collecting his materials he had spread out around the Vandal, staying silent. He then stood up and rummaged amongst the debris in the room, and returned to the Vandal. He had his comm device in his hand. "Alright. Take us all to orbit." Gil spoke, checking the comm device for any damage. The Ghost began the process before stopping immediately. "Us all? We're taking the Fallen with us?" Gil didn't say anything. He gave his Ghost a quick look, one that lasted only a few seconds. If the Ghost was able to sigh, he would've at this moment. That look was something he was accustomed to. He had encountered it before, whenever he would question Gil about killing Fallen. It wasn't pity, or malice. It was pure compassion, sympathy for those he believed had lost their way. "Alright, taking us to orbit." The Ghost went to the Vandal, and configured his body to the ship's materialization system. A second later and all three were gone, leaving the room within the Skywatch empty with the bodies of dead Fallen.

Aboard the jumpship, Gil was cleaning and tending to the Vandal with an assortment of first aid materials. He had already pulled shrapnel from the bolt wound and wrapped it with aesthetic and bandages. Surprisingly, the Vandal's body was able to handle medicine and other components created for humans. The Ghost was in the cockpit, keeping the jumpship suspended in space. They could not return to the Tower with a Fallen onboard. Gil knew other Guardians wouldn't think twice before killing the Vandal he was tending too, and then putting him on trial for "sympathizing with the forces of darkness". Gil began tending to the slash wound on his chest when the Vandal came to. Before he could react, two arms were holding his own arms down, with another grasping his throat. The Vandal growled heavily, his voice groggy from exhaustion and the morphine Gil had administrated to him. Gil didn't move. He could easily see the Vandal's eyes, and made direct eye contact with him. The Vandal didn't make a move. He didn't squeeze his throat, or use his remaining free hand to grab any of surgical knives next to his body. He just stared. Then all at once, he released his grip on Gil's arms and throat. He had fell asleep. Gil lurched back slightly, before standing straight again. Despite their differences and the unknown circumstances, the Vandal chose to spare his life. Gil stared down on the sleeping Fallen, an emotion he was unsure of coming to the surface. Making sure the Vandal was sleeping, he continued the first aid.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Sanctuary

Gil slumped down on a chair and wiped the sweat from his forehead. After 30 minutes of working, he was done tending to the Vandal's wounds. The Vandal had not woken at all during the first aid except for the brief moment when he grabbed both of Gil's arms and his throat. There was an opportunity at that moment for the Vandal to kill Gil and take his Ghost; however, the Vandal did nothing but stare into his eyes. Gil himself could not think for any reason why the Fallen would spare his life. Gil looked down at the Vandal's chest, which was bound in white bandages. The scar running underneath the bandages, across his chest, would not fade away; it would be a reminder of the battle against his Captain for the rest of his life. Turning away from the Vandal, Gil picked up the cloak he had taken off of him when he started his first aid. It was colored red, and had the sigil of the House of Devils. It was torn and tattered, with bloodstains from battles long ago. Gil began to fold it and placed it neatly next to the Vandal. There was nothing else to do but wait for the Vandal to regain consciousness. Gil had no idea what to expect when that happened. The Ghost's voice came over the communications. "Gil, I need direction here. Where am I going? It's impossible to even think about heading to the Tower, and if we're being cautious, Earth itself." Gil had spent a few moments thinking about this when working on the Vandal. It was impossible to stay suspended in space for long periods of time. The only probable choices was either Venus or Mars. Mercury was too embedded into the Vex system; any incursion there would be detected by the Vex Minds instantly. It was the same for the Moon with the Hive. After a quick thought, Gil decided with the safest choice. "Take us to Meridian Bay in Mars, right outside of the Buried City. There is a safe house I have prepared there." The Ghost replied instantly. "Alright. ETA 30 minutes. Be careful with your new friend." Gil smiled lightly before giving the Ghost a simple order. "Whatever happens, do not observe or record what is going on in here. Also, seal the cockpit in case something happens to me." The Ghost did not reply, but Gil knew he would follow the order. That was the worst case scenario. There was rustling coming behind him. Gil turned to see the Vandal trying to sit up. Before the Vandal reached full consciousness, Gil eyed his hand cannon in the corner of the room, and hoped that it wouldn't end up in his hand for the second time against a Fallen.

Rysick was coming to. He felt exhausted and weak, and would have chosen to sleep more if he hadn't remembered the chain of events that occurred earlier. He opened his eyes slightly, adjusting his eyes towards the brightness of the room. "Be careful with your new friend." Rysick's eyes opened instantly. He recognized the Guardian's language, and he began to digest where he was. He felt something tight on his chest, and identified it as bandages using his hands. Rysick turned his head and saw his cloak next to him, folded neatly. He began to reach for it but stopped abruptly. He could no longer return to that House, the place that was his home for his entire life. While the fact that he played a part in killing a Captain could be justified, though it would mean death no matter what, he could not explain teaming up with a Guardian. The thoughts of the Guardian caused Rysick to look around, and he realized that the same Guardian was facing a terminal, talking to the voice that referred to him as a "friend". Unbeknownst to his Fallen superiors, Rysick was highly educated in the Guardian's language. He not only knew what the words meant, but he was able to speak some short sentences. His most important being that he was able to tell any Guardian what his name was, a sentence that Rysick had prepared to deliver over the dying figure of the Guardian that killed his brothers. Rysick sat up, fully regaining his senses. He felt the Guardian's gaze instantly on him. Any other day, Rysick would've rushed him with a weapon. However, Rysick was aware that the one who tended his wounds was none other than the Guardian in the room with him. Rysick began to get off the platform he was being treated on, but staggered to the ground. Before he completely collapsed, the Guardian was there, holding two of Rysick's arms over his shoulder. Despite the sudden physical contact, Rysick made no move to break it. He instead welcomed the help, knowing that the Guardian would not do something to him when he had just spent a large amount of time tending to his wounds. Rysick gripped onto the Guardian's shoulder tightly, slowly adjusting more weight onto the Guardian. The Guardian didn't slow down; instead he managed the added weight and started to direct Rysick to a seat. Rysick sat down heavily and collected his breath. Even though the Guardian believed that Rysick couldn't understand what he was saying, the Guardian said nothing. The room was filled with silence before Rysick decided to break it. He had practiced the phrase before, but could never find the reason to justify using it, as he thought he would never tell a Guardian this. Rysick cleared his throat, and tried his best to remember the correct words. "Thank you, Guardian."

Gil couldn't believe what he had just heard. A Fallen Vandal had just spoken to him in his language, something he hadn't been expecting. Gil had met and conversed with Variks of the House of Judgement, but that was different as he needed to know the language in order to talk to the Awoken. This Vandal, however, was a member of the House of Devils and was only around other Fallen. Why had he learned a language that was unneeded, especially the one of his most hated enemies? The Fallen stared at him, waiting for a response or an emotion from him. Gil cleared his throat, and thought of various things to say. "What is your name?" Gil choose this question as the safest, and decided to offer his first to build some kind of trust. "My name is Gil. I'm a Guardian from the Tower." The Vandal exhaled sharply, finally confirming what Gil was. A few seconds later, and the Vandal replied. "My name is Rysick. I used to serve under the banner of the Devils. After what has happened, I am sure I would be killed on sigh-" Rysick exhaled sharply, grasping his chest. The white bandages were showing small splotches of blood. Gil moved forward, and held Rysick's chest to check the bandages. The movement was quick, and Gil expected for Rysick to growl or lunge back. However, he merely stayed still, and began to remove the bandages for Gil to look at the wound. Gil could do nothing but wonder as to why Rysick was so trustworthy, despite the short amount of time that they had together. While cleaning up the small wounds and stitching them up, Gil stole a look into Rysick's eyes. There was a cloud of emotions, and Gil could understand why. A lot had happened over the course of the day. However, there was something else in his eyes. Whatever it was, it made Rysick's eyes soft and light. Gil tightened the bandages and put the used ones in a bundle. Gil once again looked into Rysick's eyes. He was surprised to see Rysick staring directly at him, instantly causing Gil to look away. "Sorry, I-" Rysick raised a hand and put it on Gil's mouth. Gil didn't try to move the hand or move away. It was that look in his eyes, that look that was full of warmth, a look that he couldn't believe belonged to a Fallen. Was it… because of him? Was Gil the cause for Rysick to get that look in his eyes? Rysick brought one of his arms up and removed his facial respirator. Underneath was Rysick's mouth, which was surprising similar to a humans. Rysick moved his face closer to Gil's face. Gil still didn't move away. He couldn't break the eye contact between Rysick. Slowly, Rysick's mouth met Gil's, and Rysick slowly gave Gil a kiss.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Starlight

Rysick had no rational reasoning as to why he had just kissed the Guardian standing in front of him. Affection and dealing with lust came to the Fallen as a lesser bodily need; most Fallen never showed such emotions as there was probably no other Fallen to show to, or they rather dealt with it on their own, in their own ways. However, this was different. Rysick knew his emotions towards this Guardian was different, ever since he had thought concern for him back in the Skywatch. After that, finding out the Guardian had not only saved him but also tended to his wounds while he was unconscious gave more reason to cement this feeling towards him. He now had a name for this Guardian as well: Gil. Rysick was slowly losing the perception that Gil was like the Guardian that killed his brothers. Gil was different, and it was impossible for Rysick to show him ill will even if he himself wished it. Rysick moved his mouth away from Gil, and continued looking into his brown eyes. Gil opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. Rysick brought Gil into his chest, using all four of his arms to pin the Guardian into his embrace. Gil didn't try to escape, instead, he made sure not to brush up onto Rysick's wounds. Rysick slowly kissed Gil again, and pushed his tongue into Gil's mouth. Something was escaping Rysick. It was as if all the malice and hate was leaving his body, and pure love was pouring out into this Guardian. Rysick's tongue was slightly longer than Gil's, and he slowly tasted everything that Gil's mouth had to offer. Rysick slowly pushed his tongue down Gil's throat, and a gurgled moan escape Gil. The sound instantly elated Rysick. For his first time doing something like this, especially with a Guardian, the sound was enough support to show that Gil was enjoying it and that Rysick was doing something right. Rysick pulled his tongue out and moved towards Gil's neck. He started off with small pecks and kisses before licking and slurping all over his neck. Gil shivered instantly, and Gil's hand immediately brought Rysick in closer. Two of Rysick's arms held Gil, while the other two began fiddling with the latches on Gil's chest piece. His entire being was being shrouded in emotions for Gil. Rysick's slurping picked up in intensity, and he added little nibbles to increase the excitement. Gil was still breathing heavy, with small moans escaping his mouth. Rysick's mind was becoming clouded. He could feel the blood pumping throughout Gil's body through his neck, he could feel the blood pumping in his veins. He could feel Gil's heartbeat.

Gil was slowly becoming submerged in a torrent of emotions. When Rysick kissed him, he felt a bit of that emotion he had felt when he chose to save him in the Skywatch. It was more than empathy and care; it was love. It should've been impossible to love someone after a few days, yet, these emotions couldn't be wrong. When he made eye contact before, he could see the same emotion within Rysick. Somehow, the life and death situation had brought them closer, more than just simply teammates. Rysick had lost his home and way of life when he chose to take control of his fate and to live be siding with a Guardian, and Gil couldn't abandon Rysick to return to the Tower. Now, with that kiss, there was no way Gil was going to leave Rysick. However, it was even escalating beyond that. Rysick had slowly moved to his neck, and Gil couldn't help but make small moans and sounds as he felt Rysick's tongue pass over his veins. He could feel Rysick taking pleasure in what he was doing, and noticed that he was timing his movements with Gil's heartbeat. Gil also became aware that Rysick was trying to remove his chest piece. Before Gil could decide what to do next, a voice sounded over the jumpship's intercom. "Gil, we have about ten more minutes before we come into contact with Mars's atmosphere. I have followed your order not to observe what is going on inside the room, so an acknowledgement of this update would be highly appreciated." The Ghost's voice cracked off, and Gil slowly pushed Rysick off of him before stepping to a terminal located within the room. "Acknowledged, Ghost. Everything is fine in here. No more need to worry." Gil spoke quickly, and came back to Rysick. Rysick's breathing was becoming quieter, and he was slowly calming down. Gil too began to control his breathing. Neither spoke for a moment. Rysick broke the silence. "Where are we heading?" Gil was caught with surprise, and realized that he didn't brief Rysick on where they were going and what they were going to do. "Meridian Bay, in Mars. I have a safe house located near the city there that is stocked with supplies." As soon as Gil finished that sentence, he realized he had made an error. While his interactions with Rysick revealed that the Fallen and humans were similar, he hadn't realized that it wasn't true in every aspect. If he remembered correctly, Fallen gained their nourishment off of the ether created by Servitors. "Shit! I forgot, you need ether don't you-" Rysick stopped Gil abruptly. "It's okay, I have a good amount on me." Rysick opened pouches on his clothing to reveal multiple vials filled with a shining blue liquid. "I'll be good for a few months. No need to worry." Gil smiled, and he caught himself doing it again. He had shown concern for Rysick. A part of Gil smiled inside. He had actually, truly fallen in love with him. Before Gil could say something, the ship slowly began to shake. The jumpship was entering Mars's atmosphere. Before he could say anything, Rysick had taken Gil in his arms again. His arms were calm and comforting, the additional two arms giving Gil a stronger sense of security. With his arms around Rysick, Gil realized that he was missing his cloak. After giving it some thought, Gil took off his cloak and wrapped it around Rysick. "Hey, since you are not going to wear your old one, have mine. The dust storms on Mars are pretty bad." Rysick looked down on Gil, and slowly adjusted the cloak around his back. He walked to the table and picked up his cloak with the Devil's sigil on it. Rysick offered it to Gil. "Please, use this one. You'll need one as well." Gil took the cloak from Rysick's hand, and slowly adjusted it to his body. It was slightly larger, but was strangely comfortable. Gil looked at Rysick, and he realized how odd the couple must have looked. A Fallen wearing a Guardian's cloak, and a Guardian wearing a Fallen cloak. Gil donned his helmet and Rysick put his respirator back on. A voice sounded on the intercom again. "Transporting you two to the ground. Brace yourself." The Ghost acknowledged, and they both vanished from the room.

Rysick landed in a red pile of sand. He collected his bearings, and looked around at his surroundings. Despite his access to skiffs, he had never made an effort to leave Earth. Yet here he was, standing in what he considered was a whole new world. If he remembered correctly, there were no factions of the Fallen based on Mars. He was the first Fallen to walk on Mars's red sand. This accomplishment felt oddly satisfying, and Rysick shifted some sand out of his boots. Rysick sensed Gil behind him. He turned to see the Guardian walking through the sand, slowly getting used to the sand's instability. The Guardian's Ghost was hovering around him, and would occasionally take a quick look at Rysick. It was at that moment, seeing Gil struggle to walk in the sand, that Rysick realized the entirety of his feelings for him. Despite the short moment the two had within the jumpship, it was crystal clear that they both had strong feelings for each other. They hadn't talked about it, yet neither had said what they did was wrong. If anything, Rysick knew Gil was enjoying it and wanted more. Rysick thought back to the time he made the trap for Gil in the Skywatch, and how the Guardian saved him when he knew that he lured him there to kill him. Rysick had been protected by Gil that time, and then again when he tended to his wounds. Rysick made the promise to be there for Gil, no matter what happened and who the Guardian faced. The promise wasn't just a simple vow, it was a vow that was highly important within the Fallen culture. It was a vow that Fallen made between brothers, to always protect each other in battle. It was a promise he had broken when he fled from battle that fateful day. Rysick's cross shaped scar began to throb. He hadn't felt it do that in a while. He slowly traced the scar, and he knew that it wouldn't happen again. He would protect Gil to the end, even if the stars themselves were his adversaries.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Mars

"Are you serious? That Vandal can speak our language?" The Ghost inquired, slowly hovering around Gil. The two were walking down a slope, heading towards an outpost that served as a safe house. Gil nodded his head slowly, and spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. "Yeah, he can. He said his name was Rysick, and that he would stick around with us." The Ghost processed this information, and stared at the Vandal that was ahead scouting the area. The Vandal shifted his legs a bit, and stared back at them. The Ghost looked back at Gil. "So what are you going to do? This safe house can only last so long; were going to have to report to the Tower soon before we run out of supplies and our absence is noticed. Also, when did you start wearing this Rysick's cloak?" Gil looked back at the Ghost, and tilted his head. "Rysick gave me the cloak out of gratitude for my work on his wounds. As you can see, I gave him mine. We're on good terms. As for returning to the Tower, I haven't thought what to do yet. However, I can't leave Rysick behind. I dragged him into this mess." There was a hint of regret in Gil's voice. The Ghost stared at Rysick again, who had started walking forward, and then back at Gil. What had happened between the two in the back of the jumpship? If Rysick could speak to Gil, they must have had a conversation together. There was no way to know now. Instead, all the Ghost could do was to believe that Gil knew what he was doing. They continued down the red slope, the sound of the wind picking up dust on the horizon. "Stop! There's something there!" Rysick's voice broke over the communications. The Ghost looked at where he was. He was looking down a cliff, staring at something with intensity. Gil immediately ran to where he was, and looked down as well. The Ghost followed suit. In a clearing, surrounded by dust, a figure was walking. Rysick growled under his breath. "What is that?" The figure was a dark brown, and a red searchlight was coming from the sole red eye on its head. The Ghost looked on, and stared at the machine that was even smarter than him. "Vex."

Rysick stared at the figure, two of his hands resting on his shock blades. The Ghost had called it a Vex, and Rysick recognized the name. There was a database on the Vex collected by the Fallen House of Winter on Venus back in the Devil's Lair. Despite the deteriorating relationship between the houses, Intel was still shared around. However, Rysick had never seen one of these creatures on Earth, in person. The shields placed around Earth by Rasputin, the last warmind, had prevented an incursion from the Vex. Here, with the creature directly in front of him, he had no idea what to do. A new emotion swelled inside of Rysick. It was an emotion he hadn't felt in a long time. The warrior blood inside boiled; a new enemy brought excitement to the battlefield. However, Rysick wasn't like a simple Dreg to let this emotion overpower his actions. He didn't know anything about this enemy despite what he read, and so he stayed still to observe. He spoke quickly. "Gil, how far is this safe house?" Gil looked at Rysick, and then at the mini map within his helmet. "It's directly across this clearing. We could be there in half an hour, but it would take longer to go around." Rysick looked at Gil, surprise on his face. "Is that needed? It's simply one enemy. Both of us could easily take it down." Gil shook his head, and faced Rysick. "That won't work with the Vex. You see, they all share a mind. We take that one down, and the other Vex will know. Add that plus the ability to instantly teleport to any location, and the Vex will instantly be here in large numbers." Rysick looked at the lone Vex, who was still standing still with the red searchlight coming from its eye. If they took it down, a whole swarm would instantly show up? Rysick couldn't remember anything about instant teleportation in the database. "So what do we do then?" Rysick asked, quickly turning his head in every direction. The Ghost answered back. "I can look for the best optimal route. We should avoid engaging the Vex." As soon as the Ghost uttered the phrase, a loud crack sounded below in the clearing. All three immediately looked down towards the Vex. It moved its head, but before it could even turn to what made the sound, a missile collided with it. The Vex exploded, pieces of metal and liquid showering the area. Almost a second later, a primal war cry sounded as something appeared behind some scattered rocks. It was huge and bulky, and appeared to be covered in metal armor. It shot up in the air using a jet pack on its back, and landed near the various pieces of the Vex. It carried something big and long in its hands, and Rysick immediately identified it as a weapon. It raised it above its head, and then hit it against its chest, all while letting out another war cry. The Ghost disappeared immediately, and spoke into the communications. "Incoming! High amounts of enemies coming! It's the Cabal!"

Gil immediately pulled Rysick back and to the ground. A Cabal harvester lowered down to the ground. Both Gil and Rysick looked back down to the clearing below. More Cabal jumped out of the harvester. Some were like the first ones they saw, and some carried huge shield-like objects. Rysick spoke quietly. "Why are more coming?" Despite only being on Mars for three other missions, Gil knew why. "Just wait. They'll show up. They always do." Rysick looked at Gil, the confused look on his face becoming more common ever since he came to Mars. A sound similar to a radio that is out of tune sounded. Both looked down again. There was what looked like a blue cloud with lights forming in the clearing. Making one loud sound, multiple Vex landed in the clearing, all focused on the Cabal, which were standing directly across from them. Making one last guttural cry, the Cabal began firing at the Vex almost immediately, in which the Vex fired back. Gil stared at the warring factions, and had little to none surprise. It was common knowledge that Cabal here constantly warred against the Vex. It was unknown who started the war of attrition between the two, but neither side was very good with reason. Gil wondered if they could ever reason with these two alien races. Humans only had luck with the Fallen, but that was in the Reef. The Awoken out there and the Fallen out there were…different. Well, that's changed now, hasn't it? Gil looked at Rysick, who was still looking down at the Cabal and Vex fighting. Again, he wondered what was going through his mind. He was watching races new to him in a location new to him. The red sand was vastly different from the green grass of Earth. Was he truly okay? "Rysick… are you okay?" Gil finally asked him the question that he wanted to ask, ever since their contact in the jumpship. Rysick said nothing, but looked at Gil. "I…am okay. This is all new to me, but I don't mind. Before you think you've made any problems for me, think again. I don't regret siding with you back at the Skywatch." Rysick looked at Gil in the eyes, and held his sides with all of his arms. Gil smiled. It was a huge weight lifted off his chest. Rysick didn't blame him for anything that happened. Pulling himself away, he pulled out his Ghost in the palm of his hand. "How about we get to the safe house in style?" Gil grinned.

Rysick looked on as a mechanical structure appeared next to Gil. It reminded him of a pike, but was smaller and had no weapons attached. It was colored blue and red, and had a design of flames on the sides. "It's called a sparrow. It's for traveling long distances." Gil got on, and ushered Rysick to get on as well. "C'mon Rysick! Just hold on to me and make sure you don't fall off!" Gil chattered. Rysick awkwardly approached the sparrow, and got on behind Gil. He wrapped all of his arms around Gil, holding on to him tightly. Gil slightly moved his head to look behind him. Rysick felt Gil's hand squeeze and hold his own against his chest. Before Rysick could say a word, Gil revved the engine and sped off, picking up the red sand off the ground. Neither the Cabal nor the Vex noticed the speeding sparrow. Feeling the wind whip past his head, Rysick smiled. Gil's hand never left his.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Safe House

The Legionary shot its slug rifle with precision towards the Vex hostilities. The area was clear and flat, allowing for easy aiming against enemies. However, this was true for the Vex as well. The Cabal had a constant supply of troops from their harvesters and the Vex replenished their numbers through their instant teleportation. Despite the never ending amount of troops from the Vex, the Legionaries did not call for any major troops or supplies. They were strong. They were not like the mindless foot soldiers of the Vex. They didn't share a single mind. They each had their own goals, their own dreams, and their own aspirations. The Legionary gurgled a war cry, and raised his slug rifle in the air. Sensing their comrade's boosted morale, the other legionaries in the field yelled with him. The Legionary shot down a few Goblins when he heard the wind whip from the mountains behind him. He sensed the light; a malicious, evil thing possessed only by those vile Guardians. Along with the light was something else. It was a fellow darkness like him, but he felt light in it as well. It was like a sunset; a melding of light and dark. Before he could further think about what he sensed, it was gone. The two beings were moving far away. The Legionary considered what he sensed, and shook the thoughts of those two beings from his mind. They didn't matter here, in a battlefield were life was a fleeting phase. He crushed a Goblin's head under his foot, extinguishing the red light from its eye. Yes, that was it. He was strong.

Rysick was still grasping onto Gil with all of his arms. They were powering through almost every location Mars had to offer. They passed through valleys, mountains, volcanos, and canyons; they only thing that was a constant in every location was the deep, red color of the sand and rocks. After some twists and turns, the sparrow slowly came to a stop near some abandoned buildings outside of a major skyscraper. Rysick got off the sparrow and stretched his legs. The pikes he used were a little slower and sturdier. He would have to give props to Gil for managing such a lithe mechanism. There was a poster on a building that caught Rysick's interest. It had an arrow pointing right, with an indicator that told the viewer where exactly they were. In huge letters above the arrow was the words "Dust Palace". Gil came up from behind him. "This way. The safe house is in one of these buildings." Gil led the way, walking up a hill of sand. Rysick followed suit. They made their way into a building that was half submerged in sand. Despite the appearance on the outside, the building was empty all the way to the ground floor. The doorways into each room was about the size of the average human, making passage for a Cabal impossible due to their huge stature. Rysick and Gil walked into the bottom floor. The room used to be an old workspace, but it had been changed by Gil quite a while ago. Some of the computers were still active, receiving their power from various wires running from the base of the computers to outlets on the wall. From this, Rysick concluded that there must be a working generator somewhere in the lower basements. There was two other rooms accessible from this room. One had a small cot and other items made to make the place more inviting, such as books and various papers. The other was a room that was converted to serve as a washroom. There was a pipe running from the ceiling that was suspended against a wall. None of the rooms possessed doors, allowing one to easily look in and out of the rooms. Gil walked in, and immediately took off his helmet. His Ghost appeared, and began to scan over the computers. Gil ushered Rysick to take a seat. "Isn't this place nice? I completely made this place on my own. I would come here on missions and slowly work on moving things around, fixing up the old generator, and finding a way to run water through that pipe over there." Gil spoke, gesturing to individual aspects of the place. The Ghost was more engrossed in the computer, as if it was in a trance. Rysick spoke, gesturing towards the Ghost. "What is he doing?" Gil looked towards the Ghost and back to Rysick. "I managed to link the computers here with the main system on the jumpship. This allows the Ghost to be able to freely link up to City systems without using this place as the base location. Basically, by connecting through the ship, nobody would know of this place's existence. Speaking of which…" Gil looked at the Ghost, who was still looking over the computer. "Ghost, I need you to travel to the tower and collect things from my vault." This got the Ghost out of his trance, and he peered at Gil. "What would you need?" Gil thought for a bit, and faced the Ghost. "I'll need all my sapphire wire, as well as all of the ether seeds." The ghost nodded, and spoke again. "All right. It will take me a while to return, especially directly here. I'll leave immediately." Not a second later, the Ghost vanished. Rysick stared, and looked at Gil. "He's really…obedient, isn't he?" Gil grinned a bit. "No, not exactly. He just understands my goals. When I ask him to do something, he usually has the same thoughts as me." Gil stood up, and walked towards the room with the pipe. "I'm going to clean up. You should do the same. We're both really dirty from the sand outside." To prove his point, Gil slapped Rysick on the back, releasing a cloud of red dust. Gil smiled, and left the room. Rysick stared back at him, and turned his attention back to himself. On the wall was a mirror, and Rysick stood up to study himself in it. He was somewhat taller than other Vandals, and he was a few inches taller than Gil. His skin and armor was colored a mix of red and white, the colors of the House of Devils. His face was similar to any other Vandals. The only difference was the cross shaped scar that ran through both of his eyes on the right side of his face. As if it noticed it was being acknowledged, the scar began to throb. Rysick did his usual routine of tracing it with his fingers. He continued to study himself. His chest was toned, each muscle slightly visible against his skin. Each of his arms possessed a similar amount of muscle, allowing Rysick to exert huge amounts of force when using all four of them. Rysick took off his boots and dusted the sand off of them. The sound of running water engulfed the room, causing Rysick to look towards the room it was coming from. Water was coming out of the pipe, showering the objects near it clean. What caught Rysick's full attention, however, was the person standing underneath the torrent. There stood Gil, completely undressed. Gil had his back towards Rysick. He raised both of his hands, and began to run his fingers through his hair. Though Rysick knew little about human activities, he sensed that this was one thing that was supposed to be private. However, he could not turn away. The water was running from Gil's jet black hair down to his toned back, emphasizing each and every muscle that lay beneath the skin. The water traveled further down, and ran slowly down Gil's toned ass, curving inwards down his thighs. As soon as Rysick laid his eyes there, he felt a familiar sensation in his lower body. He had felt it earlier, but was not sure what to make of it. Now, however, he knew exactly what it meant. Rysick took off his chest armor, and his gauntlets. He removed his cloak as well. He was almost completely undressed, except for his loincloth he had covering his privates. He slowly walked towards the room where Gil was, his steps making noise as it hit the water on the floor. Gil turned his head slightly towards the sounds, but made no move. Before completely going under the water with Gil, Rysick lowered his respirator and removed his loincloth. He stood underneath the pipe, and felt the cool water run down his body. Gil turned to face him, allowing Rysick to stare into his deep brown eyes. They stared at each other for a while, similar to the time they had aboard the jumpship. Gil came closer to Rysick, pressing their bare chests together. Rysick wrapped all of his arms around Gil. Gil looked up to him, and their mouths slowly came together as they kissed under the water.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Union

This kiss between Rysick and Gil was different from the kiss they shared aboard the jumpship. Rysick held no hesitation from meeting his lips with Gil's; in fact, he wanted more. Here, in a safe house that no enemy or Guardian was able to detect, he would finally express everything he wanted Gil to feel. While the kiss was subtle and clean, Rysick decided to be the one to pick up the intensity. He slipped his tongue into Gil's mouth, making sure to brush up on all the sweet spots he discovered aboard the jumpship. A muffled moan escaped Gil's mouth, and his hands held Rysick tighter, pulling him closer in. Gil moved one of his hands to the back of Rysick's head, and began to brush the soft plating. Rysick felt something stiffen near his lower abdomen. A small smile formed on Rysick's face as he looked down. Gil's cock was growing in size, slowly rubbing against his own. Rysick would have never imagined a time when he and a Guardian were not only naked, but were being intimate together. Rysick took a small moment to study Gil's reactions. Gil was definitely enjoying this. He was in the same boat as well. He felt his own cock slowly swell from the experience of exploring Gil's mouth. Rysick contemplated what he was going to do. This was his first time doing something like this, as such pleasures were menial in the Fallen. Various thoughts came into Rysick's mind, all of which made his mind swirl. Finally, Rysick settled on what to do. He would make it that by the end of this, Gil was his and only his. They would belong to only each other. Keeping up with the kiss, Rysick slowly moved two of his arms to the front of Gil's chest. Studying his chest for a moment, he slowly began to pinch and fiddle with Gil's pecs. Gil's breathing instantly became heavier, and his grip on Rysick became tighter. Rysick moved one his lower arms to the middle of Gil's ass, slowly spreading his cheeks. Rysick had an idea of what he was looking for, and he found it. Using the tip of one of his fingers, he slowly began to tease Gil's tight hole. Gil slowly moved his legs apart, allowing Rysick to easily feel around. Using his last arm, Rysick began to stroke Gil's cock slowly, the water from the pipe making it more slick and slippery. Heh. Rysick wouldn't have guessed that his four arms would've help him like this. Rysick slowly pulled his tongue back, ending the two's long kiss. Gil opened his eyes slightly, looking directly into Rysick's. His breathing was still heavy, and he still had Rysick tightly in his arms. Rysick moved his mouth to Gil's neck, and began to slowly run his tongue against his skin. The combination of his tongue, playing with Gil's pecs, slowly teasing his hole, and stroking his cock was making Gil spasm with pleasure. Before Rysick could make another move, Gil suddenly unlatched himself and backed away from him. Rysick looked startled, and wondered if he had done something wrong. Gil fiddled with a switch and turned the water off. The room slowly began to quiet down. The symphony of water drops was the only sound in the room, along with both of their rushed breathing. Gil began to walk towards the other rooms. He was moving his hips suggestively, before giving Rysick one last look. Rysick took this as an invitation to follow.

Rysick followed Gil into the room that had the cot. It was made from various cushions and a light blanket. While Rysick stood around observing, Gil was bent over, making a fire in a pit on the floor. Rysick directed his gaze at Gil, and stared at his round, toned ass. He grinned slightly. This Guardian sure knew how to be a tease. Soon, the sound of a crackling fire engulfed the room. Gil stood up, the light from the fire illuminating his outline. He put his arms around Rysick's shoulders. Rysick pushed his head forward, and slowly touched Gil's forehead with his own. They stayed like that for a moment before Gil began to push Rysick down on the cot. Rysick sat down, holding Gil on top of him. Gil slowly began to kiss and lick Rysick's pecs, and then moved slowly to his abs. Rysick looked at Gil as he moved his head further down his body. A shadow of hesitation went through Rysick's mind as Gil got closer to his cock. Rysick was very proud of his body as each muscle was toned and defined, but he still couldn't help but feel embarrassed as Gil made his way down. Heh. Here he was, a proud Fallen warrior, getting flustered over a Guardian. Rysick flinched lightly as he felt Gil take his cock in both of his hands. He looked down at him to see what he was going to do. He had never had anything to compare his cock to, but against Gil's face, he was surprised by his size. His base started at Gil's chin, and the tip reached his nose. Gil was surprised himself; his eyes widened, taking the view in. Gil gave one last look to Rysick, a look which seemed to ask for permission. Rysick breathed heavily, and nodded. Gil immediately drove the tip of Rysick's cock straight into his mouth. A growl escaped Rysick's mouth, and his breathing go heavier. Rysick growled heavier as he felt Gil flick his tongue against the tip. Gil moved his tongue up and down Rysick's shaft, timing the movements with the stroking he was doing with his hands. Rysick was in pure ecstasy. Whatever Gil was doing, he was doing it right. Rysick brought one of his hands to the back of Gil's head, and began to push his head further down his shaft as he thrust his hips upward. Gil coughed slightly, but adjusted himself; he began to match the rhythm in which Rysick was thrusting. Rysick slowly spread his arms out, looking for something to grab on to. Rysick was close. He tried to pry Gil off, as he didn't want to offend Gil by coming in his mouth. Gil looked up at Rysick, and understood what was going on. He took Rysick's cock out of his mouth, giving it one last lick. Rysick panted slightly, and then breathed heavily. He took his cock in his hands, and began to stroke himself before Gil stopped him. Rysick faced Gil, as he was standing up. What else did Gil have in mind? "What are you…?" Before Rysick could finish the sentence, Gil spoke over him. "C'mon, were not done yet." A smile came across Gil's face. Gil knelt back down, and slowly got on Rysick's stomach. Gil brought his mouth to Rysick's and the two shared another kiss. The kiss was enough to bring Rysick closer to edge. Rysick placed two of his hands on Gil's thighs and held him steady. Gil slowly grabbed Rysick's thick shaft and inserted it into his tight hole. Rysick gasped, and held on to Gil using all of his arms. Gil shuddered, and slowly lowered more onto Rysick's cock. Rysick slowly brought two of his hands back onto Gil's pecs, and used his other two to stroke Gil's shaft. It was leaking profusely, and Rysick brought some of the liquid to his mouth. It was slightly salty, but possessed a sweet taste as well. Rysick felt Gil reach the bottom of his shaft. Gil breathed heavily, and slowly began to move up and down, holding on to Rysick's shoulders to balance himself. Rysick let out a loud growl. The movements that Gil was doing was slowly driving his cock deeper and deeper into Gil. He couldn't take it much longer. Gil was close as well; the precum from his cock began to flow out more quickly in copious amounts. Matching the rhythm of Gil's movements on his cock, Rysick began to stroke Gil's leaking cock. Gil immediately let out a moan, and tried to speak. "Rysick, stop! I'm gonna-" Before he could finish his sentence, he let out one last moan before cumming over Rysick's chest. White liquid spurted out, and ran down Rysick's abs and stomach. Rysick desperately looked at Gil. His breathing was heavy, and he was panting slightly. Feeling Rysick's cock swell inside of him, Gil immediately got off of Rysick, and brought his mouth to Rysick's cock. Rysick growled lightly as a blue luminescent liquid spurt out of his cock and into Gil's mouth. Gil licked some up, and slowly made his way into Rysick's arms. Rysick wrapped Gil in all of his arms, pressing their bodies together. Gil looked at Rysick, and spoke a sentence that reached Rysick to his core. "Rysick, I love you." In that moment, Rysick knew what he meant. The emotion that he felt whenever he thought of Gil, ever since the Skywatch, was love. Due to his lack of experience with love, he had never knew what it was. He thought this emotion to Gil was just a will to protect him. But no, it was something much different. Rysick looked into Gil's eyes, and brought a hand to his face. "I love you too."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Questions

Gil slowly blew on the fire that was in the center of the room. Both he and Rysick put their armor and gear back on, and began various small tasks as they waited for the Ghost to return from the Tower. They couldn't relax so easily; despite what they did, they were still on Mars. Rysick was on the ground, fiddling with some of his ether vials. Gil looked at Rysick, and slowly smiled at him. Rysick sensed his gaze and looked up, giving him a warm smile. He patted the seat next to him, ushering Gil to sit down. Gil happily obliged. Gil pulled out some water and bread. It was peaceful, and having Rysick next to him made it even better. Gil slowly stole a look at him, trying hard to not act creepy or weird. Rysick was still fiddling with the vials, the neon blue liquid flowing inside. Gil looked at it with curiosity. Despite all of the information the Vanguard had on the Fallen, most of it was from autopsies of the dead and pure observation. Even then, Gil hardly read any of the information on his enemies. He knew the core basics, such as their weapons and their types. Noticing Gil's stare, Rysick slowly handed the vial to Gil. Gil took it gently, and closely inspected the neon blue liquid inside. Despite the commonplace knowledge that the Fallen used ether as their lifeblood, he had never seen any that was in peak condition. The common Dregs and Vandals had miniscule amounts on them, and they used it while in battle to reduce blood loss. All of these holes in his Fallen knowledge made Gil realize he knew little about Rysick. While they had a deep connection, Gil knew nothing about him as a person. The only things Gil knew was his name and is previous house. Gil fiddled with the vial before returning in back to Rysick. It seemed that now was the perfect time to ask the gnawing questions that were in his mind.

Rysick was sloshing the ether around in his vials, staring at the blue luminescent glow it gave off. He was aware of Gil's staring, and couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. Though he wasn't as obvious as Gil, he too would stare at Gil when he wasn't noticing. A lot had passed through his mind since coming to Mars. At first, he swore to protect Gil because nothing stopped Gil from saving him from his wounds aboard the jumpship. They had kissed lightly, and Rysick knew Gil was special. He was able to look past his species and see him as an individual that wasn't corrupted from the dark. Then, when they made their way down to the isolated safe house, they gave into their mutual lust and made love. The feelings he possessed for Gil were strong, strong enough to overshadow the bonds he had towards his fellow Fallen. Rysick would kill his entire house if they threatened Gil's life. Rysick perked his head upward as Gil returned the vial Rysick had given him. Rysick chuckled slightly. It was surprising how the calm, engaged Guardian sitting with him could also be incredibly horny and sexual at a moment's notice. In the middle of that thought, Gil spoke to him. "Rysick, tell me more about yourself." Rysick stopped what he was doing, and stared at Gil. He was slowly inching towards him, closing the gap between them. Rysick opened his arms and invited Gil closer. Rysick held Gil in his arms, and slowly squeezed him. "There's not much to say. We don't really have a life like you humans." Gil looked up in surprise. "What do you mean?" Rysick cleared his throat. "I could tell you things like the battles I have taken part in. The lives I have taken. Every single weapon I can use. That's about it. I can't tell you about a family I have, or friends. Things like that don't exist for us." Gil looked up at Rysick's face, and slowly wrapped his arms around his waist. The life of a Fallen solely depended on the next battle. Activities between the battles were just moments to prepare for the next battle. Gil began to squeeze him harder. Rysick shifted slightly. "Well, that's actually wrong now." Gil looked up again, a puzzled look in his face. "What do you mean?" Rysick stared into Gil's eyes, and once again felt the familiar emotion welling up inside of him. He brought one of his hands to Gil's face. "I have someone I love now." Gil slowly brought his hand to Rysick's, and they shared a small kiss. Rysick smiled slightly. He realized that his life didn't focus on the next battle. Here, within Gil, he had a new reason for living. For once, his scar didn't throb. He had someone to protect.

With a flash of blue, the Ghost rematerialized within the middle room of the safe house. Gil was sitting down next to Rysick, and both were chatting. Gil immediately sprang up. "Did you bring the things?" The Ghost gave a flash of light, and both the ether seeds and sapphire wire materialized. Gil picked up the wire and gave Rysick the seeds. The Ghost spoke quickly. "I checked into the log systems in the Tower. We'll be fine for the next few weeks; nobody will question where we are." Gil spoke in response. "That's good. We'll be able to hang around for a while." Rysick stood up, and faced towards Gil and the Ghost. "So where will we go? Back to Earth?" Gil crossed his arms, and thought long about where to go. The safe house here on Mars could only last so long. They would have to leave. "Okay, I got it. We will return to Earth tomorrow. I can go back to the Tower for a quick moment, and Rysick can wait for me. That sounds good?" Rysick nodded in agreement. There were things he still needed to do on Earth. The Ghost acknowledged the plans, and began to prepare the necessary schematics for the trip back. The Ghost connected to the various monitors within the room, and slowly digested the information within the computer's archive. Gil sat down next to Rysick, and began to use the sapphire wire to mend both of their armor. Rysick wrapped his arm around Gil, and held him closer as he worked. Gil relaxed. There would be battles ahead, no matter what path they took. But for now, there was peace.

Nights on Mars were windy, and hot. The wind sounded less natural and more like animalistic howls as it echoed in Mars's vast canyons. Such conditions felt ominous, and it certainly felt that way for Bracus Ma'aul. Ma'aul was sitting on a container, and was slowly polishing his slug rifle. Today was an important and joyous day. His assault on another Vex stronghold had earned him the title of Bracus, and he was now among the esteemed Cabal that were stationed at Firebase Rubicon. Through he should be basking in his promotion and the respect it gave him, his mind was on the next battles he would wage. The ultimate goal for every single Cabal was to gain the name Valus. It gave you command over your own legion, your own Tank, but the most important was the respect it gave you. Valus was the highest honor to be earned, to be given to the champions of the battlefield. Ma'aul would not rest until the name was his. Currently, there had been no new champions of the Cabal to replace Valus Ta'aurc, who was killed by the Guardians. Ma'aul would have to impress the higher powers quickly before the seat was filled. Ma'aul grasped onto his slug rifle tighter. That seat would be his. He would prove that he was worthy of such an honor. That thought immediately reminded him of something that he had forgotten. The presence of that Guardian and something else at the battle was not important at the time, but now it had a new purpose. Ma'aul stood quickly, his armor clanking loudly. There was one way to instantly get the attention of the superiors, to prove that they were strong. At last, Ma'aul knew how he would be granted the name of Valus. He would bring them a Guardian's head.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Chase

Rysick wrapped a few of his fingers through his red cloak, carefully feeling the stitching in the fabric. Though he had switched cloaks with Gil, returning to the Devil's Lair with a Guardian's cloak on instead of his own would draw unwanted attention. The same feeling applied to Gil, who was now wearing his old blue cloak. Rysick was sitting in the service area of the jumpship, and was waiting for the moment the Ghost would proclaim that all was good. They were taking off from Mars, and leaving the safe house to return to Earth. While Rysick was excited to return to Earth and see his home again, a feeling of dread was slowly encompassing his mind. The safest action to take when he got to the Lair was to walk in as if nothing was wrong. The good scenario was that it would be as if it were any other day. Staying out of the way of Captains, growling at Dregs who were getting to close. However, if they found out about the event that happened in the Skywatch, he would be walking into an ambush. He would be killed on sight. Rysick began digging his claws into his thighs, and growled deeply. He couldn't handle a Captain by himself. He needed to get stronger. Rysick looked over at Gil, who was fixing some wiring on his armor. He needed to be strong, to protect those that had protected him.

Gil was bent over, and had begun to mend the armor on his boots. He was in the service area of the jumpship, and was waiting for everything to finish before they began to make their way back to Earth. He could sense Rysick in the room with him, and a quick glance back placed him on a chair next to the table in the middle of the room. That image brought back memories to Gil's mind. That table was where Gil gambled his life by operating on Rysick's wounds. That moment was the defining part of their relationship. Smiling, Gil looked back at his boots. He wondered what was going through Rysick's mind. The return to Earth would be more complicated for Rysick than himself. Rysick's life was in danger if anything went wrong. Despite these worries, Rysick assured him that it would be fine. Gil sighed, and hoped the Ghost would just finish already. The faster they left, the faster they could get their supplies and the faster they could reunite.

"Alright, it looks like everything is good. Beginning the hyper drive to Earth." Rysick sighed, and stood up. The Ghost's voice was a welcome sound. He held on to the chair as he felt the jumpship begin to shake. Rysick groaned. These small personal ships of the Guardians were nice, but you couldn't feel the slightest amount of turbulence in a ketch. Rysick looked across the room to Gil, who was holding steady against the table. Rysick ushered for Gil to come over, extending two of his arms. Gil grasped both, and slowly held on to Rysick. Rysick chuckled. "Well, the shakiness is pretty bad." Gil smiled. "It usually isn't-". At that moment, the whole ship shook with tremendous force. Gil fell face forward into Rysick, and both crashed to the ground. The ships intercom immediately crackled to life. "Gil, Rysick! Get into the cockpit now! We have a problem!" Rysick held Gil up, and they both made their way to the cockpit. Gil expected to see the usual flash of colors through the front windows that indicated they were in hyper drive, but instead there was regular stars. Gil looked further down on the window. He could still make out Mars. "Ghost, what happened? Why haven't we left?" As if to answer his own question, a wave of fire shot out behind the ship. Gil checked the various monitors to see the condition of the ship. Rysick quickly looked at some monitors, gathering information from them. "Were being chased!" The Ghost answered, moving the ship into evasive maneuvers. Rysick stood behind Gil to hold him steady. "Who is it?" Gil asked, holding onto Rysick's hands. The Ghost shifted a bit before answering. "It's the Cabal!"

Half a mile behind the jumpship, a heavy plated Cabal harvester was firing wave after wave of shells and fire. At its helm sat Bracus Ma'aul, who was watching the jumpship try to escape. Within the harvester were two Psions, who were controlling the weapons and the cannons. Despite the legion he was give control over, Ma'aul was highly reluctant to have the troops accompany him for this mission. He wanted the glory all for himself. He spent the time locating the Guardian, he spent the hours coming up with a plan that would take them down. He would definitely not share any of the glory if this plan succeeded. He looked at the two Psions who were looking at various monitors. These two were his personal guard, and they played a crucial role. If he managed to achieve the name of Valus, he would have no problems promoting these two to the rank of a Flayer. The Guardians took down the three Flayers, and thus positions were available. These two Psions were his underlings. He had protected them, and he had rewarded their loyalty. If these two became high members of the Flayers, it would mean that the entire legions of Psions were under his command through these two. Ma'aul leaned back in his chair, and took in the view of the jumpship trying to escape the cascades of fire and ash. This was all part of a plan. A plan to make him the greatest Cabal that ever existed. However, this game was lasting a little too long. It was as if the Guardian was trying to stall… Ma'aul immediately stood up. He roared a command to one of the Psions, and made his way to the terminal. The Psion moved out of the way immediately. Ma'aul took control of the harvester's cannon, and began shooting at the jumpship. It was too late. In a flash of blue and light, the jumpship had slipped away. Ma'aul slammed the terminal screen. It was impossible for him to follow them towards Earth. That damned Warmind had managed to stop almost everything from invading Earth. The Guardian was gone.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Homecoming

The inside of the jumpship was silent. Gil and the Ghost were quickly working the various screens to keep the jumpship afloat. The jumpship had taken considerable damage from the Cabal's onslaught, and was in dire need of repairs. Now, the jumpship was slowly approaching the Forgotten Shore in the Cosmodrome. The plan was to drop Rysick here and return to the Tower. The jumpship lowered, and both Rysick and Gil materialized on the ground. The jumpship hovered above the ground slightly. "Okay, let's make this quick, Gil. The jumpship needs to be repaired as soon as possible." The Ghost inquired. Rysick faced Gil and placed two of his arms on his shoulders. Gil sank into Rysick's chest and wrapped his arms around him. "Promise again! You'll be here in one hour! Say it!" Rysick placed one of his hands on Gil's head. "I promise to be back here in one hour." Gil looked up, and met his lips with Rysick's. They kissed slowly, savoring the taste and feel of each other's embrace. "Gil, we need to go!" The Ghost came across the coms again, and Gil separated himself from Rysick. Gil breathed heavily. "I'll see you soon." Rysick looked at Gil in the eyes, and handed him one of his blades. "You will. I promise." Gil felt his body being pulled on to the ship. He took one last look at Rysick before being placed back in the ship. Gil held deeply on to the blade that Rysick gave him. He could do nothing but wait for his return. The jumpship lifted higher into the sky, and began to fly towards the direction of the Tower.

Rysick watched as the jumpship teetered, and eventually vanished as it entered the upper atmosphere to return to the Tower. Seeing it vanish, Rysick turned around and started to head towards The Blast. It was there where Rysick had to put up the most impressive performance of his life. He had to act like a Fallen again, which meant snarling at the lower Dregs, cowering before the higher Captains. He had to make sure he looked like any other Fallen, and that he was simply coming back from a few days in the wild. Exiting some of the abandoned buildings, Rysick stepped out into the sun. Seeing the lack of Hive hanging around, some of the Fallen Devils were hanging around outside, near the entrance to The Devil's Lair. Rysick began a beeline towards the entrance. The least amount of contact he had with other Fallen, the easier it would be to leave once again. Rysick kept one of his hands on his shock blades. He hadn't forgot that he could be a target. He didn't know if any of the other Fallen had learned of his betrayal against one of his Captains. Even though he was sure that the Captain and the two Dregs died, he couldn't take the risk of not being prepared. Rysick walked inside, and past a Vandal that was standing at the entrance. The Vandal looked at Rysick, with its hands squeezing the shock pistol on its side. Ether began to pump heavily into Rysick's heart as he feared the worst. The Vandal looked at Rysick and snarled a small welcoming. Its hands lowered from the pistol, and the Vandal directed its attention back to the Fallen outside. Rysick gave a small sigh of relief, and headed deeper inside the lair. The lair was active as Fallen here and there were going about their business. Various Fallen were conversing amongst themselves, making sure to not be in the way of other Fallen. Rysick walked past Fallen as he navigated the lair. Despite its simple look on the outside, The Devil's Lair was actually a series of caves and tunnels that connected to the structure above ground. It was underground that most of the Devil's power laid; an insurmountable army that was almost endless. Countless Fallen called these caves home, where they thought of nothing but making a name of themselves. Not even the Guardians of the Tower could best these many Fallen… An image of a mangled, bloodied Gil came across Rysick's mind. Rysick's scar began to throb. He would not let Gil become like that. He would rescue Gil, and take him away from any danger. Snapping away from his thoughts, Rysick found himself in front of his room. It was a small cave that had a tattered cloth acting as a door. Rysick pushed the cloth to side, and looked around his room. There was a small cot on the floor, with a sole blanket lying in the middle. Various ether containers were littered across the floor, along with multiple knives. Alongside the wall was a small metal chest that had various wires coming out from the side. Rysick walked to it and opened it. He collected the multiple ether containers within, and stored them onto the pockets of ether he had on his armor. There, at the bottom of the chest, was the object that Rysick had come for. He picked it up, and slowly adjusted himself to its weight. He slowly put it on his back, and looked one last time at his room. If his actions were ever found out, he would never be able to return to this place. Rysick sharply turned around, and walked out. This place was no longer his home. His home belonged wherever Gil was.


End file.
